How To Choose Your Wedding Menu

Food is such an important aspect of a wedding for me. Therefore, picking a menu can be difficult (also because I am a picky eater). I will list some of the options for menus, and then some tips on how to choose the one for your wedding.

Plated

The first option for dinner is a waited service with pre-plated meals. This is usually the most expensive option, but I will admit it is my favourite. Guests will typically choose between a selection of two or three options (usually chicken, beef or vegetarian) when they RSVP. Then as dinner service starts, it is like a restaurant. Every guest is brought their appetizer, entree and dessert already plated in portions. 

Family Style

Family style is the in-between option. In this style, the waiters will bring dishes over much the same way you would serve your family at dinner. For example, they will bring a large bowl of salad, and guests are to take how much they would like and pass it around the table. This style can be cheaper than plated, but it can take down the elegance of your wedding. Therefore, if you are spending a lot of money in other places to make your wedding very fancy, this could damper that feeling. However, depending on how much food the caterer offers for each table, guests could end up having the ability to eat as much as they like, or they may be left feeling hungry.

Buffet

A buffet style dinner is exactly what it sounds like. Stations are set up around the room and guests take their plate up and help themselves to the food they would like. There are definitely pros and cons to this. On the pro side, it allows guests to choose what they like and avoid the foods they don't like (which you can't really do with plated). Buffets also tend to be the cheapest option for dinners. A con is that guests have to stand in line to get their food, and it may end up that not everyone is eating at the table at the same time.

Tips for Choosing Your Menu

1. Look at what your venue offers. If you are head over heels for a certain venue, you may have to choose one of their already planned menus. While they may have some room for variation, most often they are set. If you aren't sold on a venue, look at menus from  your top choices and factor that in.

2. If you don't have to choose from a planned menu and are able to choose your own caterer, look at a few different options, ask around, and make sure to try their food.

3. When in doubt, play it safe. There is nothing worse than having hungry guests. Stick with safer options like caesar salad and stuffed chicken if you want to try and please the majority of people. While you may want to impress people with your unique options, many will prefer to stick with things they like.

4. Make sure that you both really enjoy the food. If you don't even like the food, your guests probably won't either and you won't enjoy that part of your day as much. 

5. Try to keep your portions appropriate. You don't want hungry guests, but you don't want overfull ones either. Try to vary the heaviness of your courses. For example, a light appetizer and light dessert can allow for a heavier entree.

6. Just have fun with it. Take it as an opportunity to do a lot of taste testing and remember - at the end of the day, you can't please everyone.

Thanks to Renaissance Studios Photography for the stunning photos!